Republican platform to include gay conversion therapy

A draft of the Texas Republican Party's new platform embraces gay conversion therapy, arguing that it is a viable option for "patients who are seeking escape from the homosexual lifestyle."

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One of the main areas where Republicans seem to be lagging behind is the issue of same-sex marriage and LGBT rights. In order to change the perception of their party on this issue, they are going to have to do some major backpedaling.

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The Texas GOP Convention drew nearly 10,000 people to Fort Worth to sign on for a platform as the party makes its way closer to the 2016 presidential election. Lead by the president of the conservative Texas Eagle Forum, Cathie Adams, Texas Republicans rolled out a platform that included psychological "conversion" or "reparative" therapy to help turn gay people straight.

"We recognize the legitimacy and efficacy of counseling, which offers reparative therapy and treatment for those patients seeking healing and wholeness from their homosexual lifestyle. No laws or executive orders shall be imposed to limit or restrict access to this type of therapy."

While Adams claims that "nothing is mandatory" when it comes to therapy, she also believes that "if a person chooses counseling, then it should be made available" and that it's simply "a freedom issue."

The platform isn't accepted by all Republicans as shown last year when New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and possible 2016 Republican presidential nominee signed into law a ban on gay conversion theory for minors.

Republicans often win on the local level with a hard right wing stance on social issues, but if they want to have a chance on a national stage, they will have to silence platform's that echo the Texas GOP.

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Robert Sobel is an avid political junkie and full time writer. In over three years with Examiner.com, Robert has received over 10 million pages views, reaching people from all over the world. His work has been promoted by Yahoo, Google, Bing and U.S. News, and acknowledged by celebrities such as Cher and Rosanne Barr.